The Birmingham college’s decision to ban veils had angered many (Picture: AP)

‘People of liberal instincts will have competing notions of how to protect and promote freedom of choice,’ he said.

‘I am instinctively uneasy about restricting the freedom of individuals to observe the religion of their choice.

‘That would apply to Christian minorities in the Middle East just as much as religious minorities here in Britain.

‘But there is genuine debate about whether girls should feel a compulsion to wear a veil when society deems children to be unable to express personal choices about other areas like buying alcohol, smoking or getting married.

‘We should be very cautious about imposing religious conformity on a society which has always valued freedom of expression.’

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has said it is not ‘appropriate’ for students to wear a full veil in the classroom or for people to go through airport security with their faces covered.

But the deputy prime minister said he did not want to see a state ban on the wearing of religious items of clothing in particular circumstances.